Reece James signs six-year contract extension with Chelsea

Chelsea captain Reece James has committed his long-term future to the club by signing a six-year contract.

The Blues skipper’s previous deal was set to expire in 2028 but Chelsea have headed off any risk of his contract entering its final stages and in turn stopped any speculation over his future from developing.

The extension will keep James at the club until 2032, by which time the England international will be 32.

"I am over the moon to have extended my contract - Chelsea means so much to me," he told the club's official website.

"I have always said I want my peak years to be here, and I truly believe we have everything it takes to build on our previous successes. I'm excited for the future under this ownership, sporting directors, coach and all the staff and hopefully we will lift many more trophies together over the coming years."

Sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart added: "On behalf of ownership and everyone connected to Chelsea, it is a proud moment for all of us to have Reece extend his contract.

"He is the leader of this team, both on and off the pitch."

James, an academy graduate, has made 225 appearances in all competitions since making his debut in 2019 and was appointed captain in 2023 following the departure of Cesar Azpilicueta.

The right-back, who has also operated in defensive midfield, is enjoying his most fruitful season in terms of minutes since becoming a mainstay in the team, finally overcoming persistent hamstring and knee problems which wreaked much of his previous three campaigns.

Going into this term, James had missed 114 matches due to injury since the start of the 2021/22 season, undergoing hamstring surgery in December 2023 which left him sidelined for a run of 31 games.

The club have been extremely careful about how much time he spends on the pitch and have employed a carefully regimented model to ensure he is not overstretched.

He has played 35 times in all competitions this season, his highest tally since 2021/22, and has only missed five outings, the least since 2020/21.

James is a Champions League winner with Chelsea, helping the Blues to the European crown in 2021, and last year guided the club to glory in the Club World Cup and Conference League while wearing the armband.